U.A. Hero Course Cafeteria.
Here, even the chefs were licensed Pro Heroes—known as Cooking Heroes.
Thanks to them, students could enjoy first-class meals at low cost in a hall big enough to hold hundreds.
At that moment, a girl stood at the entrance, scanning the crowd as if searching for someone.
Short, dark-purple hair with angled bangs.
Long legs wrapped in fitted pants.
White sneakers are slightly dusty from running.
Jiro Kyoka.
She didn't know her exact score yet, but she'd already calculated her points.
She had more than enough to pass the Hero Course practical exam.
Excitement filled her chest, making her bounce on her toes.
"Lock!"
A familiar figure entered her line of sight. She waved eagerly.
"Congrats. You even took down the giant robot."
Lock walked over and gently reached out to pat Kyoka's head, her short purple hair swaying under his hand.
"Eh?! Lock, how do you know?"
"I was in the monitoring room. That's why I'm late."
Lock gestured toward the cafeteria.
"Come on—let me treat you. Try U.A.'s world-famous food."
Kyoka nodded happily and followed him inside.
It was the end of February.
After the practical exam, results wouldn't be released for two weeks.
Then school would begin.
The cafeteria food was… incredible.
Lock ate with satisfaction, thinking back to how his previous life's high school cafeteria had been so terrible that he literally lost several kilograms.
Afterward, the two returned home separately.
Kyoka rushed off to share her joy with her parents.
Lock, having nothing urgent to do, headed to his agency to check operations.
He accepted a patrol assignment along the way.
And so the day ended.
March arrived.
Spring flowers bloomed across the city, though temperatures remained cool—Japan was an island nation, after all.
Lock was at his office when a call came in:
The Yaoyorozu Group.
Officially, Chairman Yaoyorozu was "visiting the building,"
But the real purpose was a direct meeting with Lock regarding cooperation and investment.
Lock also contacted Yanai Takefumi, his agency's legal counsel, to assist with negotiations.
That afternoon, two figures arrived at the office entrance.
Leading was a middle-aged man in a fine suit.
His polished leather shoes alone spoke of wealth.
His heavy dark circles, however, revealed the strain of an overworked life.
"Welcome, Chairman Yaoyorozu. I didn't expect you to come personally."
Lock had been waiting at the door.
He stepped forward quickly to greet him.
Yanai Takefumi bowed politely from behind, while the secretary accompanying the chairman nodded as well.
"No need for formalities. I came for inspection… and because I heard you knew my daughter. I became curious."
Chairman Yaoyorozu shook Lock's hand firmly, his gaze warm with appreciation.
"Please, come in."
The four walked into the Fairy Tail Agency office.
Receptionists brought tea.
Nearby, Pro Heroes such as Mt. Lady peeked nervously.
Whether the chairman invested could determine the firm's future growth—
and their bonuses.
"I didn't expect Mr. Yanai Takefumi to be your agency's legal counsel," the chairman commented, glancing at him.
Yanai Takefumi's reputation in the prosecutor world was well-known.
"Young people have great potential," Yanai replied modestly.
"And I owe Lock my life."
"Oh? What happened?"
Chairman Yaoyorozu listened with mild surprise as they recounted the flamingo villain incident—how Lock had saved Takefumi.
In truth, the chairman had already evaluated Lock's strength and character.
His visit today was more than half a formality.
"Then let's talk investment…"
Negotiations began between Yanai Takefumi and the chairman's secretary.
Both sides advocated fiercely for their interests.
If the investment succeeded, the Yaoyorozu Group would assign a professional manager—
to design promotional strategies for all Pro Heroes under Lock's agency.
Similar to the PR process for celebrities.
And of course, many other financial and operational matters would follow.
Compared to their fierce negotiations, Lock and Chairman Yaoyorozu spoke casually like old friends.
"Chairman, your dark circles look serious. You should rest more."
Lock expressed genuine concern while planning how to guide the conversation toward magic.
"Youth won't last forever," the chairman sighed.
"My body's been declining from all the years of overwork. Medicine can only help so much."
"What if I had another way?"
Lock leaned forward slightly.
"A way to strengthen your body and slow age-related decline.
Would you be willing to try it?"
The chairman straightened sharply.
Coming from anyone else, such a claim would be absurd.
But Lock… had nothing to gain from lying.
So Lock explained magic—what it was, what it did, how it worked.
The chairman listened in stunned silence.
"Magic… If it's truly as you say, then maintaining magic power could indeed improve my health…"
He frowned slightly.
"But something so valuable—would you really teach it freely?"
Lock saw right through him.
"Of course, there's a price."
He smiled.
"A fair one. I simply need your investment."
The chairman blinked.
This wasn't the investment being haggled over in legal terms.
Lock meant another kind—
"Investment… in magic?"
"Yes. I need your help to fund and support magic's development."
Silence hung in the room.
Chairman Yaoyorozu bowed his head in deep thought.
Magic…
If real, it would change the world.
An epoch-making phenomenon—
like the birth of Quirks or the Industrial Revolution.
Finally, he exhaled slowly.
"…I see now why people call you a prodigy among Heroes."
His eyes were complicated.
"I would never have imagined such an ambition coming from a fifteen-year-old."
After a long pause, his eyes blazed with resolve.
"If magic truly exists… then I am willing to invest."
A successful businessman was always selfish, and his priority was his own body.
If magic could heal him, then so be it.
"Then I look forward to working together."
Lock extended his hand.
The chairman clasped it firmly.
Evening fell.
The chairman and his secretary departed with detailed agreements already drafted by Yanai.
The chairman also received the method of cultivating magic power.
Once he succeeded, he would provide all floors of the building rent-free to Lock's agency!
Most of those floors weren't needed yet—
So they would become magic training floors.
A week later, Chairman Yaoyorozu returned.
He had successfully sensed magic power—
and immediately began nourishing his body with it.
The improvement was obvious.
He pledged to send a team of elite employees to train in magic, using the non-office floors of the building.
And with that, the first magic-capable task force began forming.
Another week passed.
The Magic Team was taking shape.
Training proceeded smoothly.
And Lock—
now officially a U.A. High School freshman—He
was about to begin his high school life.
---
A/N: A New Fanfic Is Out "Bleach: Reborn As Ishida Uryuu"
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San